Bahrain's Ministry of Works said it had several 'exciting plans' in the pipeline including implementation of an intelligent transportation system to boost the safety and security on the Kingdom's roads.

These new projects under the 'Roads Strategic Plan 2004-2014' are aimed at helping relieve traffic congestion and stimulate economy, said a statement from the ministry, which is responsible for planning and delivery of the Kingdom’s vital infrastructure.

Announcing this on Monday, Nayef Al Kalali, undersecretary at the Ministry of Works, said despite the downturn, majority of the key projects had been successfully completed, while others were nearing completion.

The key completed projects are Sitra Causeway and Umm Al-Hassam Interchange, which was a major bottleneck, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway and associated underpasses 3 and 4 and the Bahrain Map Interchange which was significantly upgraded to cater to increasing traffic volumes, explained Al Kalali.

The completion of Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Highway has come as a great relief for Hamad Town residents as it provides free flow of traffic from/to the town, University of Bahrain and Bahrain Circuit; thus improving accessibility, he added.

According to him, the ongoing projects include Access Road to Northern Manama and Isa Town Gate Interchange Projects.
 
Explaining the strategy, Al Kalali said, 'The ministry's 10 year road safety strategy was finalized in 2004, and is currently being implemented. A number of initiatives are being undertaken to ensure that not only the main arteries in the country but also the outlying village areas are safer for all citizens and residents.'

The strategy, he said, was aimed at cutting down accident rates by 30 per cent  in the next seven years.

'It will also seek to stimulate the economy by facilitating communication and providing ease of movement for all road users, thus making Bahrain more attractive to both residents and those involved in commerce, Al Kalali added.

The ministry’s future projects include, Northern Town Access Road, Mina Salman Interchange, Juffair Junction, Alba and Nuwaidrat Interchange, Western Access to Bahrain Financial Harbour, Palace Junction and King Faisal/Palace Junction. 

On the future plans, Al Kalali said the Ministry was currently working on an integrated transportation study, which is to be completed by the end of 2012.

'Using a combination of state-of-the-art public transportation systems, the implementation will greatly reduce congestion on the roads and facilitate movement and communication to all areas of the Kingdom. The first phase of the integrated network is likely to be completed by 2016,' he noted.

'This system is pivotal to meeting the mandate of the Kingdom’s 'Economic Vision 2030' which stipulates building world class infrastructure to ensure a better life for all,' he added.
 
The ministry's other exciting plans include implementing an intelligent transportation system, with the technical specifications and contract documents currently 80 per cent completed.

This new system, to be set up at a cost of more than BD11 million ($29 million), will boost safety and security on the roads, and allow for fast action to be taken when dangerous situations arise.

'The new system will utilize state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure and match the best of breed available in the world,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service